New Chlor-Alkali Industry Review released
Monday, September 27, 2010
New Chlor-Alkali Industry Review released
Brussels, 27 September 2010. Euro Chlor, representing the European Chlor-Alkali industry, has presented its new Chlorine Industry Review at the occasion of its Annual General Meeting. It gives an overview of the most important dossiers the federation has been working on in the past eighteen months, presents the progress achieved in the sectoral sustainability programme and lists detailed data on the chlor-alkali sector in Europe.
In his introduction, Executive Director Alistair
Steel states that the vogue of substitution calls for vigilance:
"The full frontal attack on chlorine which occurred in the nineties
may have diminished but chlorine containing substances are still
the subject of attention today". And Steel adds: "Of much concern
is the manner in which some decisions are taken: I refer to the
cavalier use of the Precautionary Principle where the risk based
decision-making process is pushed aside".
On a less controversial note, the Review
shows that investment in new membrane plants to replace mercury
based ones continues even in the austere economic climate in which
the industry still operates. Membrane technology now accounts for
50% of installed capacity, on track with the sector's voluntary
commitment to have converted all mercury based chlor alkali
capacity by 2020.
Within the energy arena the Emission
Trading Scheme debate continues. "Optimism remains high that we
will succeed in achieving some measure of state aid compensation
for carbon inflated electricity prices but the level is very much
in question with the real effect of carbon leakage being
challenged", Steel concludes.
In the first chapter the Review presents
details on the progress made in the Euro Chlor sustainability
programme, launched in 2001. This programme monitors fourteen
performance indicators and sets improvement goals for
them.
The other chapters give an overview of the
main dossiers and issues Euro Chlor recently has been dealing with
in the fields of Regulatory Affairs, Science and Communication
& Education.
Finally, the Review shows the latest
figures on chlorine and caustic production and uses, as well as the
most important data on the European chlorine producing member
companies. The necessary contact addresses and websites complete
this interesting publication.
You can download The
Chlorine Industry Review (pdf) or it can be ordered free
of cost at eurochlor@cefic.be.
Further information
Alistair J Steel
Executive Director
Tel: +32 2 676 73 50
Dirk Clotman
Communications Manager
Tel.: +32 473 83 79 64
eurochlor@cefic.be
